Chapter Eight
As soon as Harper got into her truck on Saturday afternoon, she told her phone to call Shelley.
"Hey, Harpsichord, is everything all right? I didn't expect to hear from you today."
"Everything's great, I'm just on my way to collect Tanya now, and then we're heading up to town."
"And Emmett's working this morning but he's going to meet you there, is that right?"
"Don't say his name out loud; is Trip around? I've told you I don't want you to say anything to him."
"It's okay, relax; he's gone down to the barn to have a word with Brody about something, and don't worry I haven't said anything to him, and I won't, although I'm not sure I understand why."
Harper blew out a sigh. "It might not matter, I'm probably being silly, but in my mind, it just seems that Emmett's kind of private, even with his friends.
If he wants them to know that... I mean, I was going to say that we're seeing each other but we're not really, we're just going to Alana's rehearsal and we're both going to be there at the same time—that's all; it's not a date or anything. "
"Slow down," said Shelley, "it's okay, I get it."
"I don't know why I'm nervous," said Harper, "it's ridiculous. But you know what I mean—if I were being all cagey about it, I wouldn't want one of his friends to tell you before I had the chance."
"No, I can see that," Shelley laughed, "but in your case it's hardly likely, is it? We tell each other everything."
"Yeah, thanks Shelley."
"There's no need to thank me, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. What's the plan—are you guys just going to go to the rehearsal together and then go your separate ways afterward?"
"I have no clue; we didn't get that far.
I told you that we came up with the idea when he dropped me off on Thursday night—it seemed like the safest, most neutral place to spend some time together.
Then, when he called me yesterday, I don't know if he was busy or nervous, but it was a very brief call.
" She blew out a sigh. "He might even be regretting it by now; it might be awkward. I just don't know, Shelley Bells."
"It'll be fine, just enjoy yourself. You were looking forward to going to see Alana's rehearsal anyway, from what you said on Thursday night.
Now you get the chance to hang out with Emmett while you're there.
It doesn't have to be anything more than that, but by the sound of it, it can be. If you guys want to go there."
"Yeah, I think that's what's making me nervous. I don't know if he really wants to."
"But what about you?"
"I do. It's probably crazy. I haven't dated in forever. So why do I have to go and pick a guy who not only has two teenage daughters, but is also a widower?"
"I think that's the thing," said Shelley. "We don't really pick, do we? It just happens."
"I guess, and it might not happen at all. I might be getting ahead of myself."
"Maybe so, but I don't think so. You'll be fine; just enjoy yourself, okay?"
"Thanks, I will. I'll report back either tonight or tomorrow. What are you guys doing this weekend?"
"We're just hanging out, catching up on things around the house. It's been a busy few weeks, so it's good to have a bit of a break."
"Well, say hi to Trip for me, and you guys enjoy your weekend."
"Will do, and let's get together one day next week, can we?"
"Yeah, I'd like that. We'll figure something out."
She ended the call and a few minutes later, arrived at Emmett's place. Tanya came running out to greet her. "Hey, Harper, I'm all ready. I'm so glad you're coming today. Shall we go?" she asked as she climbed into the passenger seat.
Harper glanced at the house. "Is everything okay in there? Did you switch everything off and lock up?"
"I did," Tanya assured her, "and I checked three times just to make sure, so that you don't have to worry."
That made Harper smile. "Okay, well, I guess we can get going then." She knew it was only a recent development that Tanya got to stay home by herself sometimes, and from what she'd seen, the girl was doing her best to prove to everyone that she was worthy of the trust placed in her.
When they arrived at the theater, Tanya sat up in her seat, scanning the parking lot. "Dad should be here by now. We should find him before we go in. We all want to be able to sit together."
"I'm sure we'll find him," Harper told her.
Tanya pulled her phone out. "I'm going to text him and ask where he is."
Harper found an empty spot and parked while Tanya tapped away at her phone and waited. After a few minutes, she blew out a sigh. "Oh no, he's stuck at work."
Harper's heart sank. "That's a shame. I know he was looking forward to this."
"I know, but he promised he'd come," said Tanya. "We really wanted him to." She stopped short. "I mean, we really wanted him to be here."
"And I know he did too, sweetie. Maybe he'll be able to get here before it finishes."
"He'd better," said Tanya.
Harper jumped when her own phone rang. "You should get that," said Tanya, climbing out of the passenger seat. "He said he was going to call you."
"Don't disappear on me," Harper called after her.
"I won't. I'll be right here."
"Hey, Emmett," she answered.
"Hey, Harper. Listen, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be able to get there for at least an hour."
"That's okay. I'm here anyway. I'm fine to take the girls home afterward. You do what you have to do."
"No," he said forcefully, and she waited for him to go on, but he remained silent for a few moments. "Sorry. I'm not... It's just, this is about more than just arrangements for getting the girls home. This was supposed to be..."
"I know, but it doesn't have to be today."
"I was looking forward to it," he said eventually.
"Me too. But it's not as though we won't have other chances, is it?"
"No. Thanks for being so easygoing about it."
"It's okay. I know how it goes."
"Don't give up on me yet. I might be able to get there before it's over."
"See how it goes. If you're not here by the time the rehearsal's over, I'll get the girls to give you a call. See how you're doing. How about that?"
"Okay, thanks, but... If I don't see you later, can I call you later?"
She pressed her lips together in an attempt to hold in a smile. "Of course, I'd like that."
"Okay, I'd better get back to it. Talk to you later."
~ ~ ~
There was still plenty of space in the parking lot behind the town's small theater when Emmett arrived an hour later.
He spotted Harper's truck and parked his own beside it.
He should have known that he wouldn't be able to get here on time, but with a bit of luck, he'd still catch the last part of the rehearsal, and that meant he'd get to see Alana do her thing.
More than anything, she wanted him to hear her sing.
She was good, he knew that; she'd been singing around the house for the last couple of years, and she had a great voice.
Sure, he was her dad, so he was bound to think so, but it was more than that, he knew it was.
She'd been telling him for weeks about how different it was to sing on stage, and how good everything sounded with the sound system.
He turned the collar of his jacket up against the wind as he hurried across the parking lot and quietly slipped into the back of the theater.
The place was hardly packed; there were a few families and groups of kids scattered around the seats.
But he didn't want to interrupt proceedings by marching down there.
Instead, he stood with his back to the wall, watching the kids on stage.
Alana wasn't out there right now, but he'd heard her rehearsing often enough to know that she'd be out to sing soon.
He checked along the walkway that ran behind the seats and went to stand under one of the overhead lights.
He might not have been here for the whole thing, but he wanted her to see him and know that he was here to see her.
Given that his work interfered with his life so often, he'd set up this system with both Alana and Tanya years ago.
They knew that if ever they didn't see him in the crowd or amongst the parents at one of their events, they had to look for a light at the back of the room.
If he could make it, he'd be standing under it.
And even if he didn't get there in time, the light would shine at them for him.
Once he was positioned, he scanned the audience and soon spotted Tanya and Harper sitting halfway down on the other side of the theater.
He could probably make his way down to go and sit with them, but he didn't want to be a distraction to anyone.
And he wanted to be damn sure that Alana would spot him.
He'd made it; he wanted her to know that he'd made it.
He smiled at the sight of Tanya and Harper whispering to each other. Tanya chatted away, no doubt in a stage whisper that everyone around her would be able to hear, and it was easy to see that Harper was paying attention to her while still keeping an eye on the stage.
He chuckled when Tanya bounced up and down in her seat and pointed, then he turned to see his older daughter step out onto the stage.
His breath caught when she began to sing.
She really did have a fantastic voice—it wasn't just his dad pride talking.
But more than that, she looked... she was beautiful. She looked just like Emily.
He swallowed, caught in a strange limbo, hit hard by the loss of his wife and now the realization that he'd lost his little girl, too.
She was a young woman in her own right and becoming more so every day.
He was proud of her, of course he was. He did everything he could to help guide her into becoming her own woman.
But seeing her up there on the stage looking so much like her mom was like a physical blow.